Automobile door construction



1944- J. L. CONLON 2,356,976

AUTOMOBILE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. (07/75; A. C'O/VA 0M Aug. 29, 1944. J. L. CONLON AUTOMOBILE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1941.

INVENTOR. (/fl/Wlli A. Coma 0.

883%, W m w rum 3 9 a 6 e 5 a J. Kw r, 2 t W 0N N 6% mm 0 1 r m w n 4 W fi N 0m 0 M m Ow m w im w m 4 0 an M 7 A 6 3 m M, a 2 25 m. 2 u 2 A f x F 4/ Patented Aug. 29, 1944 AUTOMOBILE noon CONSTRUCTION James L. Conlon, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,660

' 4 Claims. (01. 296--44) This invention relates to automobile door construction.

It is the object of the inventionto afford an ornamental and reinforcing frame for the top of the door, also a reinforcing and ornamental facing for the center pillar of the body.

In some of the custom built jobs used on expensive cars, the upper door construction is formed by a separate ornamental chromium plated channel frame. .This frame forms the entire upper half of the door construction.

It is the object of the present invention to afford a strong door constructionand, in fact a reinforced door construction, at the same time afford an ornamental plated frame to trim the window opening and also a corresponding facing to reinforce and trim the center pillar.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sedan showing the improved door and body construction.

Fig. 2 is a section through the windshield pillar on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section through the upper door at the belt line taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the door at the belt line.

Fig. 5 is a section through the center pillar on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section through the roof and the top of the door on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a similar section at a point slightly removed from the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

The center pillar is made up of the channel stamping I and the cap piece 2 spot welded to the same on the inside. Channel stamping I has an offset channel portion 3. A die cast bar 4 of channel section has legs 5 which straddle this offset channel portion. Bosses 6 are provided on the inside of this channel strip and these are provided with threaded holes I to receive the screws 8. These screws are inserted in the center pillar structure before the cap piece 2 is spot welded in place. Lock washers 9 hold the screw in place after it has been turned down to draw the die cast bar member 4 into place.

Each of the window openings of the two doors is provided with a frame "I. The frame is a die casting with a smooth outer face which may be nickel or chromium plated. This frame is provided with a turned in flange II which turns in towards the glass l2. The outside of the frame forms an overlap flange l3 which overlaps the usual door panel overlap flange I4. This flange I3 is recessed at l5 to receive the panel overlap laps over the trim panel 31.

flange l4. The door panel overlap flange is provided with a Weatherstrip Hi. The overlap flange I4 is formed by the turned out flanges of the inner panel stamping I1 and the outer panel stamping Hi. The two door panels I! and I8 are secured together at their inner edges by the glass run channel l9 which is spot welded thereto. This glass run channel may be provided with the usual felt, rubber, or other material to provide the customary glass runway. 'This glass runway channel is bent out at intervals as at and the die cast frame is provided here with a boss 2| having a threaded hole 22 arranged to receive the screw 23 which passes through the turned out portion 20 of the window channel to draw the die cast frame tightly against the upper door structure. A similar arrangement is shown on the header of the door where screw 24 pulls the die cast frame against the overlap flange and against the struck out portion 25 of the window channel. Along the sill of the window opening a reinforcing bar 26 is spot welded. This is spot welded to the turned up flange 21 of the outer panel 28. The window opening frame has at the bottom a short skirt 29 which has a pleasing curve 30. The skirt forms a sort of large belt molding at the belt line of the car.

As shown in Fig. 3 the die casting is provided with a boss 3| into which screws the screw 32 which secures the lower frame portion of the die casting to the reinforcing bar 26. A screw 33 secures a weather strip 34 to the inside of the flange along the lower bar of the frame. 35 is a stamped metal garnish molding provided on the inside of the window opening having an ornamental skirt 36 which reaches down and When the door window frames are secured inplace they harmonize with the facing on the center pillar to provide a plated ornamentation for the side of the car between the belt line and the roof rail around the window openings, at the same time they very much strengthen the upper door structure. The die castings are properly ground, polished and then preferably chromium plated to give a high lustre to the frame.

What I claim is:

1. In an automobile body, a door constructed of an outer panel and an inner panel having overlapped flanges to form the door overlap flange and a window channel welded to the inner edges of the panels around the door opening, said window channel having stamped out portions lying on the bias to the run of the side wall of the channel, an ornamental die cast frame for the prising a frame member having turned in flanges to line the window opening, and flanges on the outside to overlie and cover the outside of the door overlap flanges of the outer and inner panel and fastening devices passed through the stamped out portions or the window channel for securing the frame to the door panels.

2. In an automobile body a door having an upper portion constructed of an outer and inner panel defining a window opening and a window channel spot welded to the turned in edges of the panels to unite the same, the said panels having turned out flanges to form the door overlap flange, and a die cast frame completely overlying the outside of the turned out flanges and secured thereto, said frame having a plated outer surface and provided along the inner side of the lower bar with a weather strip to wipe the glass.

3. In an automobile door, an upper structure of sheet metal deflningi a window opening, a reinforcing bar welded to the structure below the opening, a die cast plated frame defining the window opening and providing a door overlap flange, said die cast frame being removably seoutside of the window opening or the door comcured to said door structure along the outside or the window opening at the top and sides, said frame at the bottom provided with a skirt that depends therefrom and forms a molding along the belt line, and screws passing through said reinforcing bar and into the lower part of said frame.

4. In an automobile body a door having an upper portion formed by outer and inner stamped panels having turned out flanges forming door overlap flanges and turned in flanges, a window channel spot welded to the turned in flanges to unite the same and having at intervals struck out portions, a die cast ornamental and reinforcing frame for fltting in the outside of the window opening formed by the panels and having flanges completely hiding the overlap flanges, said die cast irame having at intervals bosses which register with the struck out portions of the window channels and screws passing through the struck out portions of the channel and into the bosses for securing the frame inplace on the outside oi the window opening.

JAMES L. CONLON. 

